to be disappointed that my son's Morrisby results say he should look at a career as an actuary.

[Caroline1852]

I want him to do something interesting. It is so hard not to roll round on the floor crying, no no no, nerdy nerdy nerdy. I wanted him to do something I might like. The other suggestions were equally scary: Microbiologist, Chemist, Bio-Scientist. Doctor was the only reasonable suggestion in my book and I wouldn't actually encourage him to do that as it is so stressful. I want him to have a nice life with hot chicks in pursuit. An actuary wtf.

margoandjerry - thanks for that, that is interesting. My DP said last night that he wished he had been an actuary (he did a maths degree but went into management consultancy). House full of flippin nerds.

I think the trouble was that she didn't know enough, to be honest -- so she wanted me to do medicine or something obvious like that, which would not have suited me at all. But one of the more specialist sciencey degrees in biochemistry or pharmacology or neurophysiology or even opthalmology would potentially have been a good match.

It's actually quite difficult, though, I think, to have an informed discussion with anyone when you're a secondary school-aged student about "would biochemistry or neurophysiology be the better match for me?". It's not the sort of thing that a school careers advisor who's doing the careers advisor role a few hours a week as a part-time supplement to his/her main teaching job really knows enough about. Our careers advice seemed to consist of suggesting to anyone academic that they should try electronic engineering (it was a girls' school and I think they felt it was their mission to single-handedly redress the gender imbalance). Which as they suggested it to me just after I'd been explaining how I wanted to do History, rather than Physics, alongside Chemistry, Biology and Maths as my A-level options because I really didn't enjoy Physics at all didn't fill me with confidence that they were tailoring their advice to me as an individual at all.

At that age you know about the subjects you've done at school (I knew I didn't want to do any of them as a degree subject) and about a few higher-profile other subjects (say law, medicine, veterinary science, accountancy -- that kind of thing) but beyond that it's a bit of a stab in the dark.

Haven't read the whole thread, but I wouldn't read too much into it - I was told by a test at that age that I should be a cartographer - because I was good at both art and science and that's all the dim test could come up with. needless to say that's not what I am. (not dissing cartographers btw, just think these tests can have very narrow results).

Also, if he does want to do something sciency or maths-related please do encourage him. This country is desperately short of good science brains and science professionals. And they don't have to be unsexy at all. My DP is a scientist (and he's bald and a nerd to boot!) and has been pursued by women all his life!

I had no careers guidance at all. ALthough the art teacher told the whole class that I had the sort of mouth that meant I would get everything I wanted in life.

lemonaid - thank you, but dcous is well-settled now as a lab technician at her dcs's school where she is a valued staff member. She still hankers after the librarian thing but gets the bonus of embarassing her ds on a daily basis...

Will have to do an on-line test myself - I was going to study theology and become a priest but as I don't believe any more I need to find plan B sharpish. (def. won't be business/tax as planned by my mother!)

What does your DS want to do? What is he interested in?

Rather than calling him and DH nerds in a derigative manner why not pick up on DS's interests and encourage him in those, so that he can make the best of who he is and of his own personal talents.

I was told by the test my school did to be a social worker. Dh (internet researcher) got bin man.

I do think nerds come into their own later in life - when a woman is more inclined to appreciate dependability and brains over excitement and good looks. Nerds in late teens and early twenties are still experimenting alone sexually (yep the m word) and looking at internet porn whilst the non nerds are doing it with real live girls and not even having to pay for their glass of chardonnay.

My careers teacher was really rubbish and when I piped up that I'd like to be a pharmacist, he told me that was 'no career for a girl and I should consider something else' . I was fuming at the time - once I'd picked my jaw up off the floor. This was in the 1980s when the start of the campaigns to get more women into scientific/engineering occupations were kicking off. Somehow my career teacher had missed all that!

Why not get your son an appt with Connexions - it's a gov. agency but is really orientated towards teenagers/young people leaving education and needing to make life choices. They'll be more on the ball.

Caroline - You do sound just a tad overly concerned about your sons future sex life. Any particular reason?

I just had lots of fun witht eh training test...impressed myself with how many I got right

lol trinity...binman (not dissing them)...but hm...the test got it kinda wrong to see your dh's potential then...

Hulababy - I say those derogatory things very much tongue in cheek. I am just a bit surprised by the result. We are very close and very similar and have the same sense of humour. I am so un-sciency and un-mathsy that it feels impossible that he is and it is very difficult to advise him in any useful way. I mean to try.
He has absolutely no idea what he wants to do. In the recent past he has mentioned: journalist, teacher, astronaut (he reckons someone has to be lucky enough to land the job!), doctor.

Caroline - you are being ridiculous .

Your son is obviously talented in maths, which is wonderful, and the suggested future careers following a maths or science degree will open up far greater horizons for him than a law degree.

You ought to be delighted

I worked for a while translating legalese into plain english for a big pension company and I had lunch every day with the actuaries. I liked them a lot. They were however very offbeat thinkers and thought in a different way to me. They all loved their jobs which is very encouraging.

piggysgal - my son is not actually a maths genius.
How can Morrisby tell from those silly numerical reasoning qs that your maths is good enough to become an actuary?

well he could be studying maths and science and then see where it takes him, lol...

Well, that's all very encouraging .

You wouldn't want your son to be... a conventional thinker?

an actuary ...hmm ....

well tis true he will be well paid. Does he have a slightly scruffy beard and glasses and look like time stopped in 1972? Because in my experience that what they generally look like. Haven't seen any with hot chicks in pursuit. Sorry.

I'm an accountant - would be devastated if DS wanrted to be an actuary. I have decided that he will be a rock star.

But what does he want to be? What are his dreams and aspirations.

My LO is 2 and wants to paint mummys nails - Life is so short all I want is my children to be happy and to reach for the things in life they want.

What I want is not important - remind me I said this when they are bigger. Its easy to say when you eldest is two

Here is a link to a 7 question careers test.
Is it accurate?
www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/careers/

Kewcumber - thanks, the voice of reason. I am so glad it is not just me who sees a life of hushpuppies and beards as something depressing. Not my lovely son, surely not.

an old colleague once did a psychometric/career test. In her words it suggested that she might be capable of packing eggs... with some supervision... possibly being able to pack unsupervised one day in the future. She was, at the time of the test, our very competent new business director . Wouldn't place too much weight on the tests.

I don't care that it pays a lot. He doesn't care about that either. I just want him to have a lovely life with a career he enjoys.